Chapter Eight (Arric – Defiance and Birth Of A Fraction)

Alpha Roffe Barther was livid as he found out that ten of his guards had allowed a rogue wolf to stray into their territory and leave unharmed. He summoned one of his pack members and ordered them to fetch his first son, Arric.

When Arric arrived, Alpha Roffe Barther didn't waste any time in getting to the point. "You will kill those ten guards," he commanded.

Arric hesitated, watching his father with a cautious stare. Not that he was surprised. He was just curious how someone could be so dead inside that every punishment in his book must always result in a gruesome end. 

Fine, they were half-beasts and Lycans are a complicated bunch but he knew a few alpha werewolves with Lycan blood just like them that aren’t as bloodthirsty and in fact, treat their pack members with fairness and dignity. 

A voice inside him reminded him that those Packs are often swallowed by big Packs like theirs with a much more ruthless alpha – their world is a brutal one after all, but still, Arric believed there must surely be another way to be a good leader and also be powerful.

What did they do?" he asked, stilling himself for the regular outburst he knew would ensue. He had killed and would kill on his father’s command if he thought it was warranted and necessary. Killing Pack members for every slight mistake was however ludicrous and would affect their so-feared number sooner than later. 

He watched his father’s eyes flash with his beast. The older man’s rage was quite palpable. "What did I say to you about questioning my orders?”

“Father…”

“I asked you a fucking question, pup!" he shouted. 

But Arric stood firm. "I will not kill them without knowing why," he said through clenched teeth. His own beast welling within at the show of aggression. But he contained it. Alpha Roffe Barther, however, couldn’t control his beast; he shapeshifted into a Lycan and lunged in Arric’s direction. 

“Stand back! All of you!”Arric yelled. The Pack members scampered away, giving room for the two. Arric stood his ground as his father scaled at him but before the old man could swipe him with his claws, he grabbed him by the jaw and pushed him hard, sending him away from him and across the room. 

The black beast landed on the floor, straightened his spine, and let out a loud growl as he charged again. Arric stood firm, honing into his primal senses. His beast fought to surface but he contained it.

‘Easy now, Steelclaw … we can’t kill him…’ he thought to himself.  

‘He is going to kill us!’ his beast growled in his head, ‘let’s end this tyrant!’ it persisted, making it hard for Arric to ward off his father’s attack at the same time as he fought an internal battle to keep his beast at bay. But his years of training and mastering self-control and combat skills made it possible to fend off the attacks. 

Alpha Roffe Barther, noting his son did not want to harm him, took the opportunity to be brutal. He continued his series of attacks until Arric gave him the lapse he needed and then he dug his claws deep into his back, tearing out his skin. 

Arric grunted in pain as fabric and skin tore open and blood splashed everywhere. His beast emerged then for about a second and he snarled loudly at his father, baring dangerously sharp teeth. It was so fierce even Alpha Roffe Barther paused and stood back. 

“Fine! If you want to kill me, do it! I am not killing for you!” Arric thundered with gritted teeth and then fell to his knees.  

‘What the fuck are you doing?!’ Steelclaw shouted in his head. ‘I will not let this fool kill us!’

‘Stop, Steelclaw! He is my father!’ Arric thought.

‘You stop! You keep giving him chances and I keep telling you he is a fucker and will never stop! You listen to me for once! And let’s end this motherfucker!’ Steelclaw raged.

Alpha Roffe Barther noted the look the rest of the men were giving him and tightened his paws. Taking two strides towards Arric, he leaned close to his face and snarled, "When next you disobey me, I will kill you without a second thought, even if you are my son."

He went on to bully and belittle Arric, telling him that he had always been weak. 

“Are you quite done?” Arric growled in a low, almost inaudible voice and watched his father physically struggle to tame his temper.

Arric then stood up and walked away with his head held high.  ‘One of these days. You will not be able to hold me back and I will tear his throat out with great relish…’ Steelclaw threatened in contained rage and Arric believed him. The thought scared him. He did not want his father to die at his hands even if he was a cold-hearted bastard. 

The Birth Of The Steelclaw Hounds' Pack

The tension in the room was palpable as Alpha Roffe Barther stared down Alpha Darther of The Moonvalley Pack. The other Alpha had come to propose a business agreement between their two packs. Alpha Darther suggested establishing a Joint Venture for the security of the smaller werewolf packs and the unchanging community. He wanted Alpha Roffe Barther to support the creation of a security and protection agency that would specialize in providing services to other werewolves entities and unchanging communities that may be at risk from threats.

But Alpha Roffe Barther, who had been secretly benefitting from preying on the smaller werewolves packs and the unchanging, listened with a scowl on his face, clearly not impressed by the idea.

"And what's in it for me? I already have my own ways of protecting my pack," Alpha Roffe Barther said with a mocking sneer.

"This agency would be owned and operated jointly by the two packs, with each pack providing a team of trained werewolves to serve as protectors and guards. We would provide security services to businesses, organizations, and individuals in the werewolves and human communities, and we would charge a fee for our services. Not only would this generate a steady income stream for both packs, but it would also improve our reputation and build relationships with other of our kind and unchanging communities."

"I see. This is hard to believe though … it has too much heart … so much so that I’m wondering what your true motive is for this proposal, Alpha Darther? I know you're not just interested in building relationships, cleaning up our so-called reputations, and generating income. Come on…"

"My only motive is to protect our kind and the unchanging. But I understand if you're not interested. But you should bear in mind that mighty empires can also be pulled down…" the other werewolf delivered and taking a side glance at his team members who were standing at a side of the hall, he stood up and pushed back from the dining table. “Thank you for your time,” he added.

“Was that a threat?” Alpha Roffe Barther said, looking up from his seat at the other alpha. Arric let out a sigh and sat back, knowing what was coming. 

“Threat? Whatever do you mean?” Alpha Darther turned around to give him a puzzled look. 

“That fucking parting statement. Was that the real reason you are here? To threaten me with your fucking plans?”

“How can a proposal of allegiance to protect our people be a threat? You are not making sense!”

Alpha Roffe Barther got up and walked around the table to tower over the shorter man. 

“Are you calling me stupid?” he growled low in his throat. The other alpha looked confused.

“I think I should leave. This is clearly a mistake…”

“Oh, and your last!” Alpha Roffe Barther snarled and grabbed him by the neck. The accompanying members of The Moonvalley Pack jerked into action and assumed a fighting stance and were ready for confrontation. 

“What are you doing?!” Alpha Darther croaked.

“You don’t look so brave now, do you? Coming into my home to threaten me with the formulation of an agency to protect smaller packs which you must be aware of, pay ME for protection. You are a bold one. But I will use you as an example to the rest of the alphas who are so inclined to be as stupid as you are…”

“So then it is true? You are extorting money from smaller packs!”

“What can I say, I like to make sure everyone knows who is in charge around here…”

“You are really something but you should know I wasn’t so stupid to come here with just these ten gammas. A lot more have surrounded your island. If I don’t go back this haven of yours will be a grave in the next few minutes!”

“You dare!” Alpha Roffe Barther growled, tightening his hand around Alpha Darther’s neck. 

“Let him go, father!” Arric said with gritted teeth. 

“Stay out of this, you fool!” Alpha Roffe Barther snarled.

Arric ignored his father, marched to the two, and pulled Alpha Darther from Alpha Roffe Barther's grasp, forcing himself in between the two. Holding his father's cold but stunned gaze, he said over his shoulder. “You should leave, Alpha Darther, thanks for coming. We will think about your proposal and get back to you”

“Well, thank you Arric. I will not forget this,” Alpha Darther said and started to walk to the exit.

“Bishop?” Arric called and one of the guards stepped forward.

“Yes, master,” he said.

“Make sure Alpha Darther and his men leave the pack grounds … unhurt,” he added. His father growled as Alpha Darther and his men left. 

Once they were gone, Alpha Roffe Barther snarled, “How dare you?! To side with the enemy!”

“Is he, father? Is he really the enemy?” Arric replied, bearing down on his father whom he was now much bigger and two inches taller than. 

“You must think being my son gives you some fucking immunity to defy and embarrass me however way you want and whenever, regardless of the consequences?! Your cup has overflowed now, my dear boy,” he said and stood back. “Beta Mauro?”Alpha Roffe Barther called and a middle-aged man stepped forward with three other pack gammas. 

“Yes, Alpha,” the man said.

“I want you to take Arric to the cell block and lock him up in the coldest and deepest of that shit hole. He is to stay there indefinitely with no food or water!” he started to pelt his judgment in an increasingly livid tone. 

‘Please tell me we can kill this fucker now!’ Steelclaw growled in Arric’s head.

“Alpha…” Beta Mauro called in shock, hesitating.

“Do it now!” Alpha Roffe Barther thundered.

But as Mauro and six of the gammas moved forward to do as commanded, twenty of the other gamma guards marched forward to surround Arric in a protective shield. 

“What the hell is this?!” Alpha Roffe Barther yelled. 

“Consequences father…” Arric replied. “Consequences of years of tyranny,” he added.

“Kill them all!” Alpha Roffe Barther bellowed and the four doors leading to the dining room were flung open as more gamma guards milled inside but upon seeing Arric in the shield paused to assess the situation.  

“Hear me all!” Arric began, “I, Arric Barther, hereby renounce Alpha Roffe Barther as my alpha,” he said and walked out of the protective circle to stand nose to nose with his father. “You can address me as Alpha Arric Barther from hereon, Alpha Roffe Barther.”

“I will kill you and your fucking pups before I let you defect!” Alpha Roffe Barther growled.

“You and what army?” Arric asked as more of the Pack gamma guards milled inside to stand behind him. 

‘Damn it! You still wouldn’t let me kill the motherfucker!’ Steelclaw ranted. Arric grinned– a cold triumphant kind.